Crunchyroll, a leading anime streaming platform, has disabled all user comments on anime episodes and news articles. This significant change aims to prioritize creating a safe and respectful community environment.

In a post titled “Protecting our community” on the Crunchyroll support page, the platform elaborated on its decision, stating, “To maintain this standard, we are removing all existing user-generated content, including comments, across all our platforms and experiences.”

While comments are no longer available, the user rating system remains active, allowing viewers to provide feedback on anime series and movies, TOI reported.

The decision has sparked various theories among users. Anime YouTuber Geoff Thew speculated that the negative reviews of ‘Twilight Out of Focus’, which premiered on July 4 and was criticized for its focus on a gay romance, might have influenced Crunchyroll’s move. “Either way, this is too far. They should be moderating, not nuking it all. Killing off the community’s years of history isn’t a solution,” Thew commented.

The reaction on social media platforms has been mixed. Some users expressed disappointment, citing the loss of community engagement and discussions.